EY Tower Roof: Unique Presence Joins Financial District Skyline

Stepping off the hoist elevator, we're high above the streets of Toronto's Financial District, with Nathan Phillips Square a miniature diorama to the north. We're on the 40th floor of the EY Tower, where glazing is now being installed as the curtain wall begins to reach the distinctly shaped roof.

Looking north from the EY Tower roof, image by Jack Landau

Concluding our three-part series, UrbanToronto's EY Tower tour ends with a walkthrough of the 40th floor and mechanical penthouses above, where the roof's crystalline form is now taking shape. Last week, our coverage began with a tour of the tower's office levels, followed by an in-depth look at the replicated Concourse Building heritage facade at the corner of Adelaide and Sheppard Streets below.

The EY Tower viewed from the west, image by Marcus Mitanis

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates in partnership with Toronto-based WZMH, Oxford Properties' 40-storey tower joins the heart of the Financial District, with First Canadian Place—still the country's tallest building—immediately to its south, with INDX Condos now nearing completion just to its northeast. Amidst this dense cluster of rectilinear skyscrapers, the skeleton of EY Tower's angular and slightly dramatic roof already stands out.

A closer look at the roof, where structural steel will soon be covered by curtain wall, image by Marcus Mitanis

As the curtain wall is installed, the tower's presence will become more defined, with the building envelope promising to accentuate the tower's unique form. Notably, the glazing will envelop the entirety of the mechanical penthouse. The aesthetic continuity allows the roof to be a prominent architectural feature, which will be highly visible from Nathan Phillips Square.

Structural steel being installed in late June, image by Jack Landau

Touring the recently topped-off building with construction management company PCL, the roof's steel skeleton is being assembled as we reach the roof. Overseen by Hamilton-based Walters Inc., the structural steel installation is one of the most complex stages of construction, PCL's Mike Jackson explains. Structurally designed by Stephenson Engineering, the complex web of steel atop the two-storey penthouse required extensive computer modelling, requiring further coordination to facilitate Oldcastle Building Envelope's curtain wall installation on the roof's unique skeleton.

A close-up view accentuates the roof's angles, image by Jack Landau

The mechanical penthouse will house the requisite elevator overrun and HVAC equipment, including a rooftop chiller plant. Below, the 40th floor will terminate at a green roof at the tower's south elevation on Adelaide Street. The showpiece roof will be lit—by what is being described as a 'lantern light'—through a monochromatic LED installation, discretely drawing attention to the tower's architectural character.

A rendering of the tower, looking northeast, image courtesy of Oxford Properties

At the lower levels, another green roof will top the sixth floor amenity terrace. Alongside the highly efficient curtain wall, the tower's sustainability features include solar fins, fully integrated systems, and locally sourced building materials. The tower targets LEED Platinum certification, aiming to be among the most energy-efficient properties in the city.

Nathan Phillips Square seen from the roof, image by Jack Landau

Over the coming months, the installation of glazing throughout the mechanical levels will aesthetically complete the tower's exterior, while interior work will continue through to 2017. The building targets an early 2017 completion, with occupancy expected by February.

For more information, make sure to check out the previous coverage of our tour, including a look at the tower levels and heritage preservation. Additional information is also available on our associated dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment in the space below this page, or join in the conversation on our Forum thread, where regular photo updates are also posted.

EY Tower will be a 900,000 sf LEED Platinum Class AAA building located at 100 Adelaide Street West, between Bay and York Streets. Designed by world renowned architects Kohn Pederson Fox and assisted...